Re: [Harp-L] Learning to Sing

[hashbb@xxxxxxx]

 In my mind the band is supposed to serve the song. If the vocalist
is the focal point of a particular song, the song should be in the
key that the vocalist is comfortable singing the song in. Now, if you
are in a band that expects the songs to all be in the key they want them
in and you cannot sing comfortably in those keys, you are in the 
wrong band.
HB

 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Seth Galitzer <sethgali@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sun, Jan 10, 2010 12:48 pm
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Learning to Sing


So what do you guys/gals do about bands that refuse to play in keys
that you can sing in?  I've been fighting this with my band since our
conception 3+ years ago.  By the end of a gig I have no voice left,
and won't recover for a day or two.  I've been singing since high
school and playing music since before then, so my problem isn't with
breath support, it's with forcing myself so sing way out of my range
for an extended period.

Seth

On Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 2:09 AM, Daniel Gage <dan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Bill,
>
> One of the best things one can do for one's harmonica playing is to learn to 
sing (and lead a band).  Far too often, I've watched decent harp players stifled 
at jams because they were overlooked by some ego-maniac on guitar/vocals. 
 Singing gets you to the center of attention really quick.  It also means that 
you get to decide how long the harmonica solos will be.
>
> I realized this in 2001.  I had been in a band with three soloists and I 
always felt like I was competing for space onstage.  After the band imploded, I 
started going to jams.  Now, I was REALLY competing for space.  I decided to 
learn to sing because I was sick of feeling like an ornament.
>
> Figuring that I was probably only lucky enough to learn one thing w/o lessons. 
. . I went looking for voice lessons.  This was pre-craigslist, so the closest I 
could find was in NYC (from central CT).  I thought it over for a while, and 
then I decided to call up the local liberal arts college music department.  They 
put me in touch with someone who taught beginners.
>
> It was one of the most frightening things ever for me to walk into that 
studio.  I'd never sung a word for anyone.  It turned out to be one of the best 
experiences of my life.  It was costly, but worth every penny.
>
> The lessons were like going to the gym.  I had to prepare physically and 
mentally for the butt-kicking I got every week.  I was surprised by the other 
poster who said they laid on their back on the floor pushing a book with the 
diaphragm.  I laid on my front, pushing my body weight AGAINST the floor.
>
> It was all technique-based.  I never sang a single word in 6 years of lessons. 
 Why?  Because my teacher didn't know blues and I didn't want to do opera.  She 
gave me the tools.  It was up to me to learn to use them.
>
> My first public singing experience was in the winter of 2002 (I think).  Ryan 
Hartt made me sing with his band and I STUNK.  I spent the next several years 
singing at jams, learning to dial myself in.  Once I started fronting a band I 
recorded and listened to every show.  Tom Ball was right.  There is no better 
feedback than the recordings.
>
> So, to answer your question on fiding a teacher, a good voice teacher won't 
teach you myths. There is a lot of anecdotal nonsense out there about singing. 
 My teacher taught me that if I could stand, I could sing.  I did a gig hunched 
over with my back out, and a few gigs with bad colds. I sang strong.
>
> They should train you so that singing never hurts/damages your throat.  (my 
muscles got sore, but my throat never hurt).  Finally, they should be able to 
teach you to breathe.  It's really difficult to explain diaphragm breathing.  I 
already knew, from my vibrato, but she could separate the different parts of my 
body very easily with her instruction.  If anyone is near central Connecticut, 
I'll put you in touch.
>
> Voice lessons will do amazing things for your range, power, stamina, etc, but 
one lesson for any novice singer is to sing with your own voice.  It's so easy 
to sing along to a record and try to match pitch note for note.  Sometimes 
you'll find a recording that's in your vocal sweet-spot.  Sometimes you'll try 
to match a bassy voice to Whitney Houston (or Dave Mathews)and sound like a 
caterwalling mess.  I hear people do this all the time.  Singing in key, yet in 
the right register will keep you from going places you cannot get to.  It's 
almost as easy as talking.
>
> Hanging out with people who sing might be a good low-cost solution.  It's hard 
to take the first step, but it gets easier every time.
>
> Good luck. Singing is worth the effort.
>
> Dan Gage
> "12gagedan" on youtube

-- 
The beatings will continue until morale has improved.

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